Blango bags a brace but Port let three goal lead slip away at St Dennis

Porthleven raced into a 3-0 lead at Boscawen Park before a six minute spell of suicidal defending allowed St Dennis to get back into the game with three quick-fire goals of their own.

And despite Jordan Annear's late strike putting Port 4-3 up, St Dennis forward Martin Sleeman found the back of the net three minutes into stoppage time, and the Fishermen were forced to settle for what was, in the end, a disappointing point.

Port may be justified in feeling that the home side should have been reduced to ten men following a clumsy challenge on midfielder Sam Kay by St Dennis defender Ian Stone.

Kay was clear on goal when the challenge went in, but referee Neil Rudkin produced a yellow card when the majority of Port fans expected to see a red.

It was a questionable decision, but in the end Port only had themselves to blame for not leaving with a maximum return for their efforts.

Christian Blango followed up his slick display against Truro City Reserves a fortnight ago with an equally impressive performance, scoring two more goals - one a stunning lob from 20 yards.

And along with Jordan Annear, Thomas Hawkens added to his growing reputation with another well-taken second half goal.

But St Dennis, fresh from their resounding 4-1 victory over runaway league leaders Mousehole a fortnight ago, refused to lie down, and for sheer determination alone were well worth a point.

They might even have taken the lead when in the fifth minute Chris Bird's darting run down the right resulted in a cross which dropped at the feet of Chris Brown two yards out.

All Brown needed to do was poke the ball in, but he failed to connect properly and Port were able to clear.

St Dennis were made to pay for the miss.

Three minutes later they were a goal down thanks to a stunning solo effort from Blango.

Receiving the ball ten yards inside the St Dennis half, the willowy striker managed to wriggle his way past three players and break clear of the home defence.

St Dennis keeper Brett Allen came off his line to close Blango down, only for the Port striker to aim a sublime chip over his head and into the back of the net from 20 yards out.

Matt Quick, deputising for the absent Dennis Annear, made a point blank stop from Lee Rickard, and Dan Tarrant's towering header rattled the St Dennis crossbar as the half wore on.

But it was Port who pulled further ahead on 42 minutes when Kay's inch-perfect through ball found Blango, who dummied Allen before taking the ball around him and slotting in Port's second.

Blango almost completed a hat-trick just after the break when his shot from all of three yards out was somehow kept out by the St Dennis keeper.

But it was only a temporary reprieve. Port went three up mid-way through the half when Allen came off his line to claim Dan Greet's long ball down the right, only for Hawkens to beat him to it, take the ball around him, and thump a low drive into the back of the net.

Three up and Port were cruising, but six minutes of madness late in the game were to prove their undoing.

In the 77th minute Lee Rickard crossed for Scott Hill to tap in St Dennis's first after a ball over the top caught the Port defence flat-footed.

Then St Dennis made it 3-2 with an almost identical goal barely two minutes after the restart, Rickard crossing for Hill to tap in.

And in the 83rd minute Richard Hawke broke away down the right before fizzing a low ball into the six yard box which Ryan Hayhurst side-footed in.

It was a body blow for Porthleven, but as the game opened up and both sides went for the win Jordan Annear thought he'd secured all three points when he beat the offside trap, charged through on goal and hammered in the visitors' fourth.

But three minutes into injury time St Dennis counter attacked down the right, and with Port stretched another low ball into the box was met by Sleeman, who had the simplest of finishes to make it 4-4.

Ipsoregulated

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